The Current State of the Internet Is Flowing With Memes of Nancy Pelosi Ripping President Trump's Speech at the State of the Union
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi inevitably became an instant meme when she ripped a transcript of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech.
Trump spoke about a number of expected topics including the U.S. economy, trade agreements and immigration during the State of the Union on Tuesday night in the House chamber. And as he finished, cameras captured Pelosi tearing up her papers.
Why the ripping? “Because it was a manifesto of mistruths,” she told reporters afterward of the move.
Leaving the Capitol shortly before midnight, Pelosi tells us why she tore up Trump’s speech: “Because it was a manifesto of mistruths.” pic.twitter.com/2sAWdgVAXR
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 5, 2020
The Speaker of the House has gone all-in on opposing Trump, and the President’s impeachment trial is expected to come to a close Wednesday afternoon, with Trump expected to be acquitted by the Senate.
READ: Here Are the Facts Behind President Trump’s 2020 State of the Union Claims
Pelosi’s defiant move after Trump’s State of the Union afforded the Internet an instant flash point.
Where some didn’t read much into it all, and others had criticism to voice, many on the internet saw joke potential and the Nancy Pelosi tearing papers State of the Union meme was born.
“me ripping up student loan late payment notices,” one user captioned the moment.
“Me tearing up the chore list my mom would leave me during summer break,” another user joked.
Me tearing up the chore list my mom would leave me during summer break
pic.twitter.com/qdzyOQfpnH— KenzO (@koshiz) February 5, 2020
Les Misérables was invoked.
Jean Valjean is nothing now!
Another story must begin! pic.twitter.com/fIm3hBvjv7— MKB (@MatthewKBegbie) February 5, 2020
Me ripping up the study guide after failing the test: pic.twitter.com/HVPXObzpGG
— Josh Silverman (@JoshMSilverman) February 5, 2020
Me tearing up the bet slip for my “cant lose” parlay pic.twitter.com/k3ojD28Rth
— Julius Seizure (@JackHam82623448) February 5, 2020
nice try Nancy, but you need to take that speech to Mount Doom and cast it into the fires of Orodruin https://t.co/daw5bDF9LQ
— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) February 5, 2020
When Columbia House sent me a bill after I got 12 CDs for a penny:
pic.twitter.com/f6Yfs9IdB1— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 5, 2020
Not sure how to smoothly combine my love for The Room memes with Nancy Pelosi ripping up Trump’s speech so this is just me letting you all know that I tried and this is the best I could do pic.twitter.com/neuHD5eHTX
— JERRY DUNLEAVY (@JerryDunleavy) February 5, 2020
stunt queen. https://t.co/oAWGrhJRJa
— Eliel Cruz (@elielcruz) February 5, 2020
Pelosi tears up the speech! pic.twitter.com/Qj2gLosWsA
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) February 5, 2020
Speaker Pelosi just ripped the president's speech in half. #SOTU pic.twitter.com/AMeAyJ6Ty8
— 11th Hour (@11thHour) February 5, 2020
Nancy Pelosi ripping those docs up just extended my life by ten years. #SOTU2020 #SOTU pic.twitter.com/hm6meIOBl0
— 🍄 karina. (@karinawesome) February 5, 2020
Omg Nancy pelosi tearing the papers up behind trump pic.twitter.com/watgo7XcX4
— Jeremy (@jermyjpg) February 5, 2020
It wasn’t the only fun the internet had with Pelosi and papers of course.
Nancy deciding if she wants the duck or just soup and salad. #SOTU pic.twitter.com/Dm3Ktru08J
— Randy Rainbow (@RandyRainbow) February 5, 2020
At the State of the Union last year, Pelosi clapping was the major meme moment as Americans watching got down to captioning a photo snapped by New York Times photographer Doug Mills. It captured, in a brief moment, Trump appearing to turn back to face Pelosi as she clapped with outstretched arms. The jokes ranged from silly to pointed.
Beyonce doing the choreography at the beginning of “End of Time”: pic.twitter.com/wHu4n3KaaQ
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) February 6, 2019
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) February 6, 2019
(Doug Mills/Pool via Reuters) pic.twitter.com/D8dmT5Z95A
— Colin Campbell (@colincampbell) February 6, 2019
Nancy Pelosi is the BDE version of that picture of Natalie Portman clapping pic.twitter.com/CSSLctHs2d
— Courtney Anne Bree (@courtneyabree) February 6, 2019
The internet took it as a clapback. But interestingly, Pelosi emphasized in interviews the following day that in that precise moment she was showing genuine support at the time for his statements. Trump had just delivered this line: “We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good.” The message of bipartisan cooperation was one the Democratic leader could get behind at that point in time, and said she did so with her clap.